Discussion on Cats, Moggies and Felines in general [with Pictures]

[Cossie]

Yes, daughter did vet and she has no trouble getting pills down cats but when I tried Patsy would hold it in her mouth and seem to swallow then as soon as I released her, she would spit it out and look at me balefully. Clever!

Sounds like some of ours, days later we would find tablets around the place, could have sworn that they had been sallowed!

 

[Buzzard]

Big changes in our house as my old boy has come back with a diabetes diagnosis - which is better than the kidney failure we were expecting based on symptoms. We are adjusting to giving him insulin via needles twice a day.

We caught it very early so hoping we might be able to push him into remission.

It does mean he has to go back to being limpy as he cant have cortisone (very low dose every 3 days) for his arthritis.

For info - 4 classic symptoms of diabetes in cats is increased drinking, increased urination, weight loss and increased appetite. We had the first 2. There was weight loss but not visible under his fur and appetite - did not notice a change.

I know the feeling Milboo, Munn the Cat is a diabetic on insulin twice a day + special diet.
At least I save a few dollars by getting food and syringes on line.

 

[coriander]

Unfortunately she was not a good pill taker :shock:

A veterinarian should be able to organise to have Felimazole compounded into a transdermal preparation - 0.1ml dabbed onto inside of ear once daily. Saves fingers.

 

[coriander]

We caught it very early so hoping we might be able to push him into remission.

So he's on glargine rather than the normal insulins?

 

[Buzzard]

So he's on glargine rather than the normal insulins?

Munn the Cat is on Glargine and on her last few curves the dose has been reduced as she seems to be going into remission so there is hope for Milboo's puss.

 

[whatmeworry]

Yes, daughter did vet and she has no trouble getting pills down cats but when I tried Patsy would hold it in her mouth and seem to swallow then as soon as I released her, she would spit it out and look at me balefully. Clever!

I find holding their head back and massaging the underside of the chin, helps the Cats swallow mechanism.

 

[love_the_life]

I find holding their head back and massaging the underside of the chin, helps the Cats swallow mechanism.

No amount of massaging seemed to work on Patsy - she would pretend to swallow the pill then phtt out it would come! Daughter has the technique though.

 

[love_the_life]

A veterinarian should be able to organise to have Felimazole compounded into a transdermal preparation - 0.1ml dabbed onto inside of ear once daily. Saves fingers.

Poor old Patsy has been gone for a few years now (she was 19).

 

[TheRealTMA]

No amount of massaging seemed to work on Patsy - she would pretend to swallow the pill then phtt out it would come! Daughter has the technique though.

It's a skill that varies with each cat. Hard to learn but never forgotten!

Often you can get a compounding pharmacist to make you a liquid form of the specific drug which is easier to administer in food or direct to mouth with small (needless) syringe.

 

[JessicaTam]

I am glad there are no pictures to accompany current discussions. :shock:

 

[TheEmu]

I am glad there are no pictures to accompany current discussions. :shock:

No pictures, but this may help...

Giving Cats Pills - Ó¢ÓïЦ»° - °®Ë¼Ó¢ÓïѧϰÍø - 24EN.COM

 

[love_the_life]

Unfortunately the link doesn't seem to work.

 

[Dr Bob]

I am glad there are no pictures to accompany current discussions. :shock:

I was just about to post an old photo of my grand dads technique for "castration in a gumboot" but I thought better of it.

 

[TheEmu]

Unfortunately the link doesn't seem to work.

Sorry about that l_t_l.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL

1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with lef hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.

4. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

5. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, holding front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

6. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

7. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with its head just visible from below spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

8. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

9. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

10. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

11. Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighborwho crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

12. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 pint of water down throat to wash pill down.

13. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room; sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by furniture shop on way home to order new table.

14. Arrange for vet to make a housecall.

 

[suze2000]

I have found the only reliable trick is to get your finger good and down the animal's throat and make sure the pill is beyond the tongue.

But you can't be hesitant or squeamish about doing it.

As to injections: having help does not help. At the vet's the bloody cat is scared so he's docile. Get him home and he'll fight you to the death to get that needle gone. Hubby just stands by helplessly so, I've found two things work: 1) wait until he's deep asleep and jam it in him then. or 2) pin him down in a corner with both arms and twist your wrists until you can get a scruff up and jam the needle in with the other hand. (checking for blood in the syringe? Are you kidding? Do I look like I want to fail at it AGAIN?)

 

[Milboo]

So he's on glargine rather than the normal insulins?

No

We started him on the Caninsulin especially as no one is home during the day to monitor for hypos. We will do the glucose curve in another 10 days or so to see how he goes and then reassess dose and insulin type.

 

[Pushka]

Does anyone have a miracle cure for fur balls? They seem to somewhat cause bouts of diarrhoea that settles after a day or so later once the furball is, well, dislodged. He looks very offended when that happens.

 

[Buzzard]

Guess we are lucky as we have never had a problem giving Munn the Cat an injection, we have even had a neighbour do it. She just has that yeah whatever look.

 

[love_the_life]

I thought you could get a paste to stop fur balls getting too big - sort of like senna and something. We had some for our madam at one stage though she wouldn't eat it so had to smear it on her fur for her to lick off.

 

[love_the_life]

Sorry about that l_t_l.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL ....

I can relate to that!
I remember breaking a pair of reading glasses trying to get madam into her cat box to go to the vet. She knocked them off my head and I stepped back on them!